Kind Hearts and Coronets

[Howard]

I have a line and am looking for the movie it belongs to. All I know is that it is black and white and British. The line is "Vengence is a dish that men of taste prefer to eat cold."



Anyone have a clue?



[ 13. May 2003, 20:53: Message edited by: DB7 ]

[Steve Crook]

Howard:

I have a line and am looking for the movie it belongs to. All I know is that it is black and white and British. The line is "Vengence is a dish that men of taste prefer to eat cold."



Anyone have a clue?

Could be almost any film, probably involving gangsters. It's an old Italian (or Sicilian expression) "Vengeance is a dish best served (or eaten) cold"



There was an Italian film of that name made in 1971 - La Vendetta è un piatto che si serve freddo (1971)



Steve

[dylan]

Spoken by Dennis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets.



His character, Louis Massini, is half-Italian and I believe he commences the line with "There is an old Italian saying..."

[Howard]

Dylan, Steve - Thank you so very much. My friend is going to think I am amazing genius.

[wayne]

I feel i have to say something about this masterpiece of film, on my own personal point of view, i feel this film is by far the best black comedy ever made, and probably more than likely one of the first to be made, its amazing to think that british comedy films today, are nowhere near the same class as the ealing comedies, i feel kind hearts and coronets works so great due to a truly great story line, and also by some fantastic performances too, by all of the eight alec guiness's, also dennis price and the charming joan greenwood, it tops my top 5 greatest films ever made, also including in that top 5 is the ladykillers.

[DB7]

Two great films you mention Wayne. The final scene with both seal their perfection for me, Arthur Lowe outside the prison in KHaC and the rail signal/umbrella ending to The Ladykillers.

[Phil Turner]

I've always loved Kind Hearts and Coronets, and after re-watching the film recently, I was struck by Dennis Price's magnificent central performance. Although Alec Guinness's legendary portrayal of 8 different characters was flawless, I think it's important that the other cast members aren't unfairly overlooked. I thought that Dennis Price gave a wonderfully witty and polished performance, all delivered in that rich, unmistakeable voice. Surely, the pinnacle of his career.



A terrific film, and one I never tire of revisiting.

[alex_thorn]

Hi folks!



There is a couple of lines in this brilliant movie that i just can't understand.

Could somebody help me out?



They are from the first scene in the jail where the hangman (Mr. Elliot) is conversing with the prison clerk and then the superintendent.



The first one is:



Been up to Manchester on Monday - a poisoner, baby farmer at Holloway this morning .......???



- After using the silken rope never again be content with hemp.

- .......???



- How will he approach it?

- I should think as the calmest you've ever known.

- .......???



And if you don't have the film handy i could send you these audio snippets by email. I'm just dying to find out what they really say!



Regards

Alex

[Hugo]

Your first gap:-

The governer says "Quite. Well here we are" and the hangman says "Oh thank you"



Your second gap:-

The hangman says "Noblesse obliged (and then a word I can't make out). A difficult client can make things very distressing".



This is of course a reference to the french saying "Noblesse oblige"

i.e rank imposes obligations

[alex_thorn]

Thanks alot Hugo.



How about the very first one - Manchester and Holloway?





Alex

[Steve Crook]

Thanks alot Hugo.



How about the very first one - Manchester and Holloway?





Alex

What is it you don't understand about it Alex? Manchester (Strangeways) is a large prison in the midlands. Holloway is a women's prison in London. In the bad old days while the death penalty was in effect the hangman would have visited both of them fairly regularly.



Steve

[Rob Compton]

They might be surprised in Manchester that you've moved it to the Midlands, Steve. And not best pleased, possibly...

[alex_thorn]

No offense, but you're not being very attentive Steve.



We could even dwell on the subject and observe that Holloway has gone female in 1902. That's all on the internet. My concern is what does the Hangman say after "baby farmer at Holloway this morning". And that is something about these two cases being rather commonplace. But I can't make that out what exactly he does say. And that is bugging me.





Regards

Alex

[Hugo]

I think the line is ". . . . baby farmer at Holloway this morning. Very ordinary crimes, both of 'em. "



The script of Kind Hearts and Coronets has been published, but I don't know where you could get a copy.



Hugo

[alex_thorn]

That must be it...



Thanks Hugo.

[dylan]

Is it "baby farmer" and "silken rope" you are still unclear about?



Baby Farmers were usually women who "adopted" illigitimate children for a price and then murdered them to cut their costs.



Members of the nobility were executed using a silken rope rather than a hemp one.



D.

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

Silken or hemp, it was important for the hangman to ensure that the rope had been suitably stretched beforehand so that it was, to quote John Reid, "fit for purpose".

[Merton Park]

It is interesting to note, that Noblesse Oblige is the French title of the film.

[alex_thorn]

Maybe you know as well what "Clapham municipal bars" means? That's from the river scene, where he sends young Ascoyne d'Ascoyne tumbling down the weir.



Alex

[Rob Compton]

"Baths" not "bars" perhaps?